I didn't desert you. Trust me. I would love nothing better than to regale you with tales of San Francisco and harken back even further to my adventures at Babbo. But, I have just not been up to the task. Returning to JFK late Sunday night, I didn't feel too great. Figured it was just jet lag. Ends up it was just lag. And, I'm still feeling it...

Aargh! I'm not good at being sick. I never have been. Was jealous of my old college roommate who would purchase the latest Vogue and tuck under the covers with herbal tea at the first sign of illness. That's just not me though. I'm always convinced that any problem with my body is simply psychosomatic. It isn't until I'm REALLY sick that I acknowledge that mind over matter doesn't always cut it.

So, I hope to back in the pink soon - and back to posting as well. Please stay tuned.

April 21, 2005

No passport necessary, but a lengthy plane trip is coming up in the next few hours. Yes, The Vamp is heading back to San Francisco on business - a hopefully a little foodie adventure too. Restaurants on the "go to" list this time around include Foreign Cinema, Andalu and Oola.

Promise a full report when I return - along with some overdue NYC restaurant reviews. (Sneak peek: I finally had dinner at Babbo!)

April 18, 2005

Men haven't a clue. They try to ply our affections with boxes of chocolates and bouquets of red roses.

But, baby, send me some fresh sheeps milk in the mountains of the Pyrenees and you might just win my heart.

The fact that cheese can make a grown woman groan with primal pleasure was borne out at my latest dinner party - a follow-up to Orgasma Dinner to be exact. That legendary meal, spotlighting: "foodstuffs and drink that will render the male of the species, as well as battery-operated toys, unneccessary," had kicked off with Burrata, "a snowy white satchel of soft cow's milk cheese wrapped in protective blades of Pugliese asfodelo (an herb-like plant similar to leeks), encasing a lush treasure trove of buttery, fresh cream and sweet, unspun mozzarella curds." It just seemed fitting that cheese be at the start this time around too.

But, why stop at just one dairy delight?

I provided a platter - a healthy slice of nutty, sharp Aged Manchego (pictured above) from Spain, a sweet, creamyPetit Basque from France and a soft, buttery goat's milk cheese from Italy topped with truffle shavings. I served the cheese along side toasted Baguette slices and sugary Syrian Fig Jam.

Mmmmm.....

It took all of our willpower to stop eating the glorious platter of cheese. But, there was more of Orgasma Dinner to come.

And, thankfully, I could still enjoy the the platter's remains for breakfast the next morning.

April 13, 2005

During a recent business lunch at Michael Jordan's Steakhouse, I made the critical error of ordering a hamburger. Have you ever seen a Michael Jordan's Steakhouse burger? If not, let me just say that they are sizable suckers.

I carefully sliced the massive sandwich in two and attempted to take lady-like bites.

It wasn't really working for me.

I resorted to a fork and knife. That didn't work for long either. While trying to delicately handle the carving of my hunk-o'-burning chopped prime beef along with applying a thin gloss of ketchup, I suddenly lost control of the bovine. A piece of burger went sailing across the table.

And, what did the Vamp do? Laugh it off. What was the other option? Happily, it was a very friendly client, so the whole incident made for some gentle ribbing later.

But, the whole scenario might not have happened at all, had I only known about Rutgers University's Dining Etiquette Workshop. The seminar is especially designed for job seekers, but it sounds like it could be just as useful to those of us making our way through the corporate jungle, one business lunch at a time.

Good table manners aside though, I must say this - The burger was delish. And, it was all that much better after a few laughs. Not suggesting that you slurp your soup - just realize that dining etiquette can only take you so far. Maintaining a good sense of humor about life's little mishaps is always of greater importance than knowing exactly which fork to use. (It's the one farthest from the plate, by the way.)

For its 2nd straight year, New York City will host the Brewtopia World Beer Festival, featuring the largest selection of brewers from around the world, and the finest selection of beers ever assembled in New York City. 70 of the world's top brewers and over 300 distinct and delicious beers.

Live music featuring several established local musicians, such as Citigrass and Citizen One. Sponsors include The Ale Street News, Brooklyn Brewery, The Onion, and Murphguide.com.

This significant and historical event pays homage to beer's long and distinguished history. One of the chief reasons the Mayflower landed was empty kegs. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, not to mention Samuel Adams were all brewers themselves, and our nation was literally conceived of in beer halls. The oldest recipe known for any food product of any kind was one for the making of beer discovered as an artifact of ancient Mesopotamia.

Tommy Irvin, Georgia's agriculture commissioner, said this week that the official 2005 Vidalia onion marketing season will begin April 28, a couple of weeks later than the usual start, which until now had been unregulated.

"The major thing we want is to assure the public that we bring to the market good, sweet mature onions," Irvin said. "It's extremely important to ensure they're not harvested before they're fully mature."

An advisory panel consisting of growers, packers, crop specialists and others decided on the date after considering crop conditions.

Over the years, Georgia has become protective of its famous onion.

A Vidalia has to be a yellow variety that is flatter than tall and meets the industry's standard for sweetness and mildness - a standard that is written into state law.

Now this is good use of tax dollars and state oversite. (I know you think I'm being facetious, but I'm not. Who doesn't love a Vidalia? Georgia should be proud - from its sweet peaches to its sweet onions!)

April 07, 2005

There is something to be said for slumming in a new neighborhood. My pal Kristin had been talking up an extended dinner event in Astoria for quite some time. And, when my colleague Rich, also an Astoria resident, suggested that few of us should pay call on an Astoria dive called Glen Oaks Bar preceding a down-n-dirty dinner, a trip seemed destined. Our friend Kurt rounded out the party to make a foursome.

We arrived by subway wandering down 30th in search of libation. Many blocks later we hit upon the inauspicious watering hole. But, once I saw the pub's hanging airplane made out of beer cans and the collection of classic, bonafide bums bellying up at the bar, I knew Rich had found a real hot spot.

Then magic happened. The bartender sent one of the bonafide bums out to a bodega to pick up limes to go with my order of a pony-neck Corona.

This was a dive to love.

After a couple of rounds avec lime wedges, we headed off towards Steinway Street to the itty-bitty, hole-in-the-wall, BYOB gourmet joint, Kabab Cafe.

And, I thought that Glen Oaks was a dive to love.

Owned and operated by chef Ali El Sayed who is noted for his jaunty beret, joie de vivre and amazing culinary gifts (pictured above in all his glory), Kabab Cafe is brimming with festive energy and gorgeous Egyptian fare. And, the fact that we could bring in two six-packs from the Korean down the street didn't hurt matters either.

Ali didn't let a moment pass after we sat down before opening four bottles of beer. 1-2-3-4. "Now drink up and take a look at the menu. I'll be back in second."

That's hospitality.

And soon after the food began to arrive. A magnificent mezze platter crammed with delectable tastes - but all I can remember is the housemade baba ghanoush - the creamiest I've ever tasted. We sopped up every bit of the plate with the lovely freshly baked flat bread that was heaped onto the table as an accompaniment. Oh, and then there was homemade yogurt we ordered alongside - cool and custardy, topped with flavorful olive oil and cumin. Mmmm...That was sopped up in its entirety as well.

We couldn't each settle on entrees, so we decided to split three. The Lamb with Pomegranate was rich and succelent and the special of whole fish over veggies was a nice counterpoint. But then there was the Duck with Honey. This is the duck of my dreams. (And, I didn't even know that I ever had duck dreams. But, I sure as heck have them now.)

Polishing off every morsel in front of us - and every bottle of beer in front of us too, we noticed that the entire restaurant (all 150-square feet of it) had cleared out. Only Ali, his female companion and one hell of a hookah remained. Kurt was entranced by the exotic waterpipe and being buzzed, full and from Tennessee, he found the gumption to ask Ali for a puff. Ali graciously obliged and then invited us all to try. Kurt took one puff and was suddenly grinning like the Cheshire cat.

OK. Twist my arm.

One puff and I was done.

We stumbled out onto the street and noticed that several small coffee houses lined the block, all sporting several hookahs in use by several contented looking males.

Kristin insisted we drop by her favorite Jordanian bakery Laziza, which was jam-packed with exotic looking goodies. She ordered up a huge box of pistachio and walnut stuffed cookies and we were on our way.

What evening is complete without a nightcap, after all?

Heading back to 30th, we decided not to tarnish our memory of Glen Oaks by revisiting so soon. Instead we headed further down the street and grabbed a table one of Kristin's haunts, Fleming's Pub. Beers were ordered, we nibbled on the sweet cookies and then the fascination with Fleming's well-stocked jukebox began.

We ended the evening with 99 Luftballoons well after midnight. I decided to be a JAP and hailed a cab. Kurt did the same. I can't speak for Rich and Kristin. They are Astoria residents. And, last I saw them that evening, they were heading back into the bar.

April 06, 2005

I adore Delta Burke (pictured above). And, today's profile of the actress, which oddly appeared in today's NYT Dining In, Dining Out section, only solidified my opinion. But, I do have to question if they would've profiled a male actor's struggle with weight gain at all - let alone in the food section.

The food section?

Yeah, that Dining In, Dining Out thing really has me scratching my head. Why not put the story in Arts & Entertainment, Health or even Sunday Styles?

One interesting foodie tidbit though that the NYT didn't uncover - While in "Thoroughly Modern Millie," Delta Burke regularly met pint-size soprano Kristin Chenoweth of "Wicked" and now "West Wing" fame after their respective curtain calls for a late dinner. Where? Their favorite, high-glam, Big Apple culinary hot spot: The Olive Garden.

Now the paparazzi know where to stake out - or steak out, so to speak.